Think of this as a fresh take on pasta salad. . . an elegant side to a summer buffet or an entree in itself. It derives from one of my favorite comfort foods - one I don’t make often: shrimp and grits. Shrimp and grits - Charleston-style - is a heaven-sent dish of creamy, buttery, cheesy goodness, topped with a spicy shrimp “gravy.” <br /> <br />My summer version here a far lighter dish than the classic Southern fare - substituting pearl (Israeli) couscous for the creamy stone-ground grits. The “dressing” is mayonnaise-based, doctored with lemon, a dash of Worcestershire sauce, and fresh herbs from the garden. (Because I had a muffaletta-type spicy pickled olive spread on hand, I also added that to the dressing. Most recipes for the shrimp topping call for bacon. I recommend kicking it up a notch (as Emeril would say) with a few slices of Italian Tazzo ham. <br /> <br />Absolutely nothing stands in the way of serving this dish hot -- though an afternoon siesta in the fridge is recommended for optimal blending of the flavors.

Share: